Yakima WATERS Mini Lesson
Introduction to GIS: Mapping floodplains, landslides, and land use in our community
Targets and Assessment
WA Science Standards Addressed:
 6-8 ES3D
 6-8 INQC
 Also addresses social
studies standards
Assessments:
 Student learning will be assessed by completion
of two questions:
 Student engagement will be assessed informally
by gaging student progression through the
instruction sheet
Lesson Parameters//
Content Area: Earth Science, Geography, Social Studies
Overview: (Students will be briefly introduced to ArcMap
GIS software as a tool for spatially mapping information
about floods in their local community.
Grade Level: 6-8
Suggested Time: 1 hour
Special Materials:
 ArcMap 10.0 (or other GIS software), like ArcExplorer
 GIS Project file, and associated layers for local
community (floodplains, city boundaries, land use,
roads, streams, and satellite imagery) on each
computer’s C: drive (hard drive).
 Computer lab
 Student Instruction Sheets
Learning Outcomes:
Knowledge: Students will be able to define a floodplain.
Skill: Students will demonstrate use of zoom and pan tools in ArcGIS. Students will be able to click on and off
layers and change symbology.
Science Concept Background:
Most commonly referred to as “GIS”, the powerful mapping Geographic Information System integrates data layers data
layers for analyzing and visualizing spatial relationships, patterns, and interpreting data that is geographically referenced
to on-the-ground coordinates (like Lat/Long). Multiple layers can be overlaid on top of each other, like streams over a
road network. Layers can be lines, points or polygons. Their symbols can be changed by color, gradient, as well as made
transparent or hollow. Floodplains are the areas of flat land adjacent to a stream or wetland that become inundated
during flood events. The greater the flood magnitude, the larger the floodplain. Floodplains are often mapped as a
100year Floodplain, which rather than meaning that floodplain will only be inundated every 100 years, it means that
there is a 1% annual chance of a flood occurring. Floodplains are altered by development, road construction, dams and
more.
Materials:
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ArcMap 10.0 (or other GIS software), like ArcExplorer
GIS Project file, and associated layers for local community (floodplains, city boundaries, land use, roads, streams, and satellite
imagery) on each computers C: drive or on a shared drive.
Computer lab
Student Instruction Sheets
Procedure:
Teacher Preparation: Preparing the GIS files and workspace are essential to run this lab smoothly. This
activity is best led by an instructor with prior GIS experience and ability to acquire local layer files. Save all GIS
Layers and project into one computer file folder. In the map project (GISDay.mxd), set up all the layers in the
order you want them and display only the Watershed Boundary layer. Zoom to your watershed. Make sure all
layers are sourced to the GISDay folder. In File-Map Document properties, check the box for “store relative
path names”. Copy the folder to each C: drive and have open on each computer prior to students arrival. Walk
through the Student Instruction Sheet (attached) in advance to make sure the files are in correct locations.
Lesson: Introduce the basics of GIS software and how we can use it to think about floods in our watershed.
Ask students where in a watershed floods occur most and explain to them what floodplains are. Have them all
look at their map screen and ask what they see (should be watershed boundary). Have them find the list of
layers, map window, and all the toolbars with icons on the top. Instruct them to follow the steps very closely
on the instruction sheet.
Wrap-Up
Ask students to share what types of land use were most along the river and if their house/yard was in a
floodplain. Have students close the projects (do not save unless you want).
Extension(s):
Have students make a map to be printed and taken home.
Teach how to clip layers, intersect features, and other geoprocessing tasks.
Learn about the local flood history and compare actual floods to where floodplains are mapped.
Teaching Tips:
This activity is best led with a student to teacher ratio of 4-6:1. All project files should be pre-saved
and pre-opened on each of the computers in the lab to save time. Encourage students to work at
their own pace and raise their hand when they have a question.
Supplements:
ESRI (ArGIS) Lesson Plans for Educators
http://edcommunity.esri.com/arclessons/arclessons.cfm
In Focus: Floods
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/infocus/floods.html
This PBS site covers all aspects of river flooding in an informative, engaging way. Topics covered
include the science of floods, flood fighters, pet rescues, and accounts of flood survivors. RealAudio
clips provide narrative descriptions of flooding from news outlets and literature. With excellent links
to the sites of such high-quality TV programs as NOVA and Newton's Apple, In Focus is an excellent
site designed just for students.
Author: Jamie Sheahan, Yakima WATERS Project, CWU, Fall 2010
GIS Day: Student Instruction Sheet
Note: This activity requires you to follow steps very closely. Pay Attention and don’t be
afraid to ask for help from one of the college students!
1. Wake your computer up from sleep by moving your mouse around. A map called
“GIS Day.mxd” should open up on your screen. If this does not happen, please let an
adult know!
2. Look for the following on your ArcGIS map screen:
 Menu toolbars with many small icons on the top
 Individual map layers listed in the Table of Contents on the Left
 Map View Frame
3. Right now you have a blank map of the Yakima River Basin. Let’s add some map data
layers! Left click the empty boxes next to
 Cities
 Roads
 Water
 Click the
sign next to “Water”. Check the Boxes next to “Lakes and
Ponds” and “Streams”
4. What colors are the roads? What colors are the rivers?
5. Find the City of Ellensburg and “Zoom in” using this tool on the top menu bar
and dragging a box around the city boundary.
6. What is the scale of the map now? Look in the center of the top menu bar. It should
say something like: “
7. Can you find your house? Hint, to see the street names, RIGHT CLICK on “Roads”
and click on “Label Features”. Let’s make a symbol for your house!
 In the Toolbar on the Right, a little to the right of where it says “Drawing”,
click on the Marker Tool .
8. If there was a big rainstorm this winter or spring, do you think your house or yard
would be flooded? Let’s see how close to the river you are and if you are located in
the floodplain!
 Show the floodplains by checking the empty box next to “Floodplains” in
the Table of Contents menu on the left of your screen.
9. Kittitas County allows certain land uses for properties, like Commercial/Business,
Residential, Agriculture, Forest, Industrial etc . . . Do you think there are certain types
of land use that shouldn’t be located in a floodplain? Let’s see how land use
compares with our floodplains! (answer question in your booklet)
 Check the box next to “Land Use” to underlay land use data under the
floodplains.
 Use the Zoom In
and Pan
and Zoom Out
areas of the floodplain near Ellensburg.
tools to explore different
 Now you can uncheck the box next to “Kittitas Land Use”
10. Well floods aren’t the only hazard to be concerned with in Kittitas County. How
about Landslides??!! Click on the box next to the layer “Landslides”. Extend the
Symbol legend by clicking on the
. . Then click on “Color Air Photos. . .”. Cool
huh!
It is kind of hard to see the landslides on top of these air photos. If we want to show
them as hazards, lets make them look more dangerous by changing the color of the
symbol. To do this, Double-Click on the symbol. You can select any of the symbols
or color options it gives you. Press Okay!
Zoom in really close to one or a group of landslides. Click on and off the
“Landslides” layer and look at the airphotos below to see if you can find the evidence
of a landslide. Try also adding shaded elevation relief by clicking on “Yakima
Hillshade”.
Useful Tools!
Zoom In: Allows you to zoom in to a geographic window by clicking a point or dragging a box
Zoom Out: Allows you to zoom out from a geographic window by clicking a point or dragging a box
Fixed Zoom: In Allows you to zoom in on the center of your data frame
Fixed Zoom: Out Allows you to zoom out on the center of your data frame
Pan: Allows you to pan the data frame
Full Extent: Allows you to zoom to the full extent of your map
Back: Allows you to go back to the previous extent
Forward: Allows you to o forward to the next extent
Select Elements: Allows you to select, resize, and move text, graphics, and other objects placed on the map
Identify: Identifies the geographic feature or place on which you click
Measure: Measures distance on the map